Meyer Lemon and Dried Cherry Scones

This was originally a Gourmet Magazine recipe that had made the food blog circuit by the time I stumbled upon it. Deb, of the wildly popular smitten kitchen, inspired the source from which I found it. Scones are a food my kids love, but given that they are based heavily with butter and cream we consider them a treat food. These make a fine breakfast treat on a weekend.

Zest of 2 Meyer lemons

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) cold unstalted butter, cut into chunks

8 oz. dried tart cherries

2 large eggs, divided

1 teaspoon water

1 large egg yolk

1 cup heavy cream

Creme fraiche, for serving

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Using a microplane, zest the Meyer lemons. Reserve the lemons for another use (I’ll post a link here once I come up with another worthwhile use for my prized Meyer lemons – stay tuned!).

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the dough attachment, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter. Pulse several times until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Transfer to a large bowl, then add dried cherries. Stir gently to combine.

In another bowl, whisk one whole egg with the egg yolk. Add the heavy cream and blend. Add the egg and cream mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just combined.

Place a piece of wax paper on the counter and sprinkle liberally with flour. With floured hands, place the ball of dough onto the wax paper and work into a ball. Press the ball flat to a thickness of about 1 inch. Using a 2-inch round cutter or a small glass dipped in flour, cut dough into rounds. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper. Place the round cut-outs onto the baking sheet.

Beat the remaining egg lightly with the teaspoon of water to create an egg wash. Brush each scone with egg wash before baking.

Set baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven and bake scones for 15 minutes, or until golden brown with shiny tops. Cool on a rack.

Serve with creme fraiche, if desired.

Quick Tips

1. You can pop the scones into the freezer for those times when you have last minute guests and need something to present at breakfast. Just defrost them on the counter and warm them for a few seconds in the microwave to give the impression of a fresh baked breakfast treat.

2. I used dried tart Montmorency cherries. They have an intense flavor that pairs nicely with the Meyer lemon.

3. I find these scones to be perfectly balanced – not too sweet, but full of flavor. If you like your scones just a bit sweeter, try adding a glaze instead of serving them with creme fraiche. Mix 1/2 cup of confectioners’ sugar with 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract and add the juice of a Meyer lemon while stirring until a thin consistency is reached. Once mixture is thin and a little runny, drizzle over the top of warm scones.